图书图片
PDF
ePub
[ocr errors]

WE

REFLECTIONS.

E see here how easily God can trouble and confound the spirits of men, even of princes. Pharaoh's dreams troubled him; so did Nebuchadnezzar's and Belshazzar's, of which we read in the Book of Daniel. How easily can he scare men with dreams and visions on their bed! As we have reason to believe that this extraordinary method of communicating convictions and knowledge is ceased, let us not be anxious about these things, but keep close to God's written word. I do not say, that God never communicates admonitions this way, but we have no reason to expect it. In the multitude of dreams, says Solomon, Eccles. v. 7. there are divers vanities; but fear thou God.

[ocr errors]

2. See how easily God can deliver his people, and turn their captivity into triumph and joy. This Joseph little expected, after a delay of two full years. Deliverances are often nearest when least expected; and, when most unlikely, they are most seasonable and welcome. Behold,' says Bp. HALL, one hour has changed his fetters, into a chain of gold; his prison garments, into robes of fine linen; his stocks, into a chariot, and his gaol, into a palace; Potiphar's slave, to be his master's lord; and the noise of his chains, into the acclamation of the people, bow the knee. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of all their tribulations; and those who suffer for well doing, and commit the keeping of their souls to him, shall at length be advanced to all the dignity and glory of heavenly beings.

3. See the influence of God on the spirits of men, in Joseph thus interpreting the dreams, and in Pharaoh and his courtiers falling in with his advice. God inclines men to do those things that answer the schemes and purposes of his providence. Let us reverence and adore him, who orders all things according to the purposes of his own will, who is wonderful in council, and excellent in working, or in contrivances.

4. Let us learn, from such interpositions of Providence as these, to commit our ways to the Lord, and trust in him for deliverance, till the happy time shall come, when he will make us forget all our sorrows. They were significant names which Joseph gave his children. It is God who sends us such comforts, as make us forget our sorrows, and remember our troubles no more. The afflictions of his people are designed to make them fruitful; and they should bear with patience, what he lays on them, and wait all the days of their appointed time, till their change comes. God's providence may be working for us, though we cannot perceive it; and those light afflictions which are but for a moment, may be working out for us a far more exceeding, and an eternal weight of glory.

[blocks in formation]

CHAP. XLII.

Jacob sends his sons into Egypt to buy corn; their treatment by their brother there, and return to their father with an account of it. It may appear strange that Jacob never heard of his son's advancement, and that Joseph never sent to his father, or paid him a visit when he went through the land, and was within forty or fifty miles of the place where he lived s but undoubtedly the hand of Providence was in it; and Joseph, who had the gift from God of interpreting dreams, might so far understand his own, as to wait till his brethren bowed themselves before him; and if Jacob and his family heard of such an extraordinary person in Pharaoh's court, they would not have known his new name.

N%

OW when Jacob saw, or heard from some of his neighbours, who had been there, that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon 2 another? sit still, and do nothing in this time of distress? And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we 3 may live, and not die. And Joseph's ten brethren went 4 down to buy corn in Egypt. But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob's dearest child by his beloved wife Rachel, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mis5 chief befal him: And the sons of Israel came to buy [corn] among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

[ocr errors]

And Joseph [was] the governor, or sultan over the land, [and] he [it was] that, by his officers, sold to all the people of the land but the names of all the purchasers might be brought to him, especially foreigners, that he might keep a watchful eye over them and Joseph's brethren came and bowed down themselves before him [with] their faces to the earth, and thus ful7 filled his dream. And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.* And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him, being much altered in his countenance, stature, and apparel, and speaking 9 to them by an interpreter. And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, so as to observe their accomplishment, and said unto them, Ye [are] spies; this he speaks only by way of trial and discovery, as if he had said, One may well suspect you to be spies, if you cannot clear your

He deals thus with them, that he might bring them to make a full relation of the present state of their family; to humble them the better with the remembrance of their former sins; to enhance their joy when the truth of things should be discovered; and the more fully to manifest the accomplishment of his dreams, when, being under his power shey should in an humble manner sue to him for their liberty.

selves; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come, where 10 the country lies most open and exposed to danger. And they

said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants 11 come. We [are] all one man's sons; and it is not likely one man would expose all his sons at once to so dangerous an employ 12 ment; we [are] true [men,] thy servants are no spies. And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come, to observe its weakness, and where you may best 13 attack it. And they said, Thy servants [are] twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest [is] this day with our father, and one [is] not. 14 And Joseph said unto them, That [is it] that I spake unto you, saying, Ye [are] spies; this confirms my saying: it is not likely a father should send ten sons on such an errand, and 15 keep only one at home. Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh, as sure as Pharaoh lives, ye shall not go forth 16 hence, except your youngest brother come hither. Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether [there be any] truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye [are] spies. They might have brought any young man, and called him their brother: and it is probable Joseph supposed 37 they had really made away with him. And he put them all together into ward three days; that their own sin might be 18 brought to remembrance. And Joseph said unto them the

third day, This do, and live; [for] I fear God, and would not 19 do an inhuman action: If ye [be] true [men,] let one of your

brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry 20 corn for the famine of your houses: But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so, or promised and resolved to do so.

21

And they said one to another, while in Joseph's presence, (little thinking that he understood the Hebrew language,) We [are] verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. We sold our brother Joseph for a slave, and now we ourselves are captives; we would not hear his cry, and now our cry will not be heard; this brought their sin to their remem22 brance. And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? (this shows that they sold him unknown to Reuben :) therefore, behold, also his blood is re23 quired; we shall now be punished for his death. And they knew not that Joseph understood [them ;] for he spake unto them by an interpreter. The interpreter might now be withdrawn, or attending only to one of them, while Joseph heard the 24 discourse of the rest. And he turned himself about from

25

them, and wept ; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes; who by this seems to have had the greatest hand in Joseph's trouble; or, being by nature bold and fierce, Joseph thought he might be the most likely to hinder Benjamin from coming.

Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them 26 provision for the way: and thus did he unto them. And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence. 27 And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass proven

der in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it [was] in 28 his sack's mouth. And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, [it is] even in my sack and their heart failed [them,] and they were afraid; they thought it could not be designed as a kindness, but must be intended as a foundation for a quarrel; however they acknowledge the hand and jus tice of God in it, saying one to another, What [is] this [that] God hath done unto us? Is it not a just punishment for our sin against our brother ?

29

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befel unto them; saying, 30 The man, [who is] the lord or governor of the land, spake 31 roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.

And

we said unto him, We [are] true [men ;] we are no spies : 32 We [be] twelve brethren, sons of our father; one [is] not,

and the youngest [is] this day with our father in the land of 33 Canaan. And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us,

Hereby shall I know that ye [are] true [men ;] leave one of 'your brethren [here] with me, and take [food for] the famine 34 of your households, and be gone: And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye [are] no spies, [but] that ye [are] true [men: so] will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffic in the land.

35

And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money [was] in his sack and when [both] they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid their fear returned with more violence, having more time to think of the matter; and their wise, experienced father suggesting many things to them, which might deeply affect both himself and them: he probably imagined they had behaved themselves ill and brought the money away craftily. 36 And Jacob their father seemed to think they only were in fault, and said unto them, Me have ye bereaved [of my children :*] Joseph [is] not, and Simeon [is] not, and ye will take Benjamin [away all these things are against me; this renewed stroke upon my former sorrows is very grievous, and greatly Of my children, is not in the original, and spoils the beauty of the sentence. The expression is elliptical; M: Have ye bereaved; then perhaps followed a sigh or groan.

37 afflicts me. And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay. my two sons, or two of my sons, (for he had four, ch. xlvi.9.) if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again. This was a rash and foolish proposal; but it was only intended to express his full belief that the man would release Simeon, and to persuade him 38 to let Benjamin go, which for the present he refuses. And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone of Rachel's children: if mischief befal him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

1.

T

REFLECTIONS.

HE fear of God, wherever it prevails, will promote a sense of humanity, v. 18. Joseph durst do no wrong; no, nor deal unkindly with those who had injured him, because he feared God; the almighty, allknowing, and merciful God. Though Joseph was a great man, he was sensible there was one infinitely greater than he, to whom he was accountable, and whom he ought to reverence. This is the best principle for social duties to be discharged by; reverence for God will make us deal honestly and tenderly; it will guard us against all rigour and severity. It was a strange and absurd speech of a great man, that he was the friend of God, but the enemy of mankind.' The best way to incline us to do justly, and love mercy is, to walk humbly with God, and be in his fear all the day long.

2. See the force of conscience: it brought to the mind of Joseph's brethren, those crimes that were committed twenty years before; their conscience immediately struck upon this; they. remembered their faults that day. Conscience brings old sins to a new reckoning; though it seems to be asleep, it records faithfully, and will be a fearful accuser another day. Let us guard against sin, for it may be very bitter many months, yea many years, after it is committed and forgotten. Reuben had this satisfaction that he did not consent to this wicked act; it will be comfortable amidst the calamities we may suffer with others to think we had no hand in the guilt. Herein then, let us exercise ourselves, to maintain a conscience void of offence toward God and

man.

3. See the usefulness of affliction in bringing our sins to remembrance. These men perhaps never thought much of Joseph before, nor were much concerned about what became of him; but now they think of his case, with deep sorrow and repentance. God will write bitter things against us, to bring our sin to remembrance, and humble us for it. Afflictions, in this view, are great mercies, and it is God's common method of dealing with men see Jab xxxvi. 8-10. And if they be bound in

« 上一页继续 »